


What I lack in wisdom I make up for in love

by orphan_account



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, Biting, Blood, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Ice Cream, Injury Recovery, Love, Milkshakes, Recovery, Ricky Bowen Loves Nini Salazar-Roberts, Soft Ricky Bowen (HSM: The Series), Wisdom Teeth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:20:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22304065
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Nini is gently pulling the blood soaked gauze from her boyfriend's mouth, and much to her amusement he's trying to bite her."Nom nom," he slurs lazily as he bites down gently, molars tickling her fingers as one hand keeps her phone steady and the other sets the gauze by her lap. It sits at her thigh, blood side facing the roof - and she realises that she's not as disgusted by this as she'd thought she'd be."Yeah they've started bleeding again pretty heavily, mom," she's checks to make sure,"but the stitches haven't rip- ah! Ricky!"Chapter 1 - BeforeChapter 2 - immediate aftermath
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Comments: 14
Kudos: 202





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Peter3000parker asked the Rini stans on Tumblr about a wisdom tooth fic and I felt obligated to provide. Here you go hun! I hope you like!

Ricky can't quite pinpoint the moment his teeth had begun to ache, pain focused on the back of his mouth and pulsing horribly in his jaw. But he knows that it was brought to light while he was kissing Nini softly at her locker. 

Which sucks because pressing his lips against hers is always something that makes his stomach flutter, and his heart pound in his throat.

Usually he isn't one for PDA. It's hard for him to say 'I love you' if it isn't in moments where he's 100% sure he means it, but he does go out of his way to show it when he can. Just not in public, where everybody can notice if him and Nini don't stand as close as usual or kiss as passionately or hug as they walk through the doors. He doesn't want to broadcast a relationship when he knows there's a chance it could end. 

He doesn't want his second chance to end up like the first. 

But he's doing better, he reckons, sailing his boat out into uncharted waters as Nini finishes complaining about her economics teacher. Her hair frames her face just right and her skin almost glows under the horrible East High lights, and he's kissing her; chaste yet meaningful and as she smiles into his lips he winces because something feels wrong. 

But he ignores it, like he does all his problems. Because he's a teenager, and that's what people like him do when faced with a minor inconvenience.

But if something looks like it's painful, feels like it's painful - then it's painful.

And his dad laughs at his expense a week later as he grumbles and holds a bag of peas to his jaw, sucking yoghurt through his front teeth and craving death all at once as Mike phones the orthodontist and books an appointment. 

~*~

On the day of the appointment, his dad's at work. Which is kinda sad, because he would have liked his dad there - or any family really - while getting the hell raisers out of his inflamed jaw. But Nini and her moms offer to come to pick him up and keep an eye on him until his dad gets home from work, so he supposes that if he had to put his life in the hands of anyone, Nini was a solid backup. 

It's when he's sitting in the back of Carol's car that he begins to regret everything.

Because his girlfriend has pulled out her phone and has the camera turned on him, and he's pouting into the lens as the seatbelt crosses his chest and rests too close to his cheek for comfort.

"Ricky's getting his wisdom teeth out," she informs everyone on her Instagram story. Her hair is in pigtails much like the night he drowned in her mom's pride shirt and almost kissed her in her basement, "and as you can see, my boyfriend who is usually an absolute delight and loves me so much that he won't hate me for filming as much of this as I can - doesn't look like he's going to enjoy it. Thoughts, babe?"

Ricky blinks up at her, then at the camera. She's got it pretty much spot on, and if he wasn't suffering and afraid of moving incase he hit his cheek off something, he would have gently pulled on her pigtails to tease her in the backseat. 

When he looks up, Carol and Dana are peeking at the pair through the rearview mirror and grinning.

"Just because I love you doesn't mean I can't dislike you," he offers, and he realises it's stupid and kind of childish but he's scared for many reasons. 

_What if the anaesthesia wears off? What if his pain meds don't work? What if he's so high he doesn't listen to reason and opens his stitches?_

Nini laughs, "that makes no sense whatsoever but sure, Rick. Sure."

She then continues, raising her hand to push back his hair and ruffle his curls. Her palm is gentle against his scalp, smoothing down his hair and fingers scratching softly as he hums underneath her grasp - his eyes slowly falling shut. 

Maybe if he squeezes them just right, he'd be sitting at home with no ache in his jaw - watching reruns of The Office and eating his dad's Ben and Jerry's, but apart of him will know it's a pipe dream.

"So feel free to send in some questions you want the answer to," Nini turns the camera so it captures Ricky in his nervous yet contented glory, "and stoned Ricky will give you an answer."

She takes a picture - the junior boy sitting with flushed cheeks and a frown pulling on his lips, eyes half lidded in the sunlight that splashes half of his face in gold. Before she tacks it on the end of the stream of videos she adds a question sticker, taking her time to post it and save each new story to her highlight. 

She's probably named it something sweet.

Nini's really sweet.

And then the phone is gone, shoved back into the pocket of her cardigan while the sleeve rubs softly against his temple; and she turns his way beneath her seatbelt and addresses him gently. 

It does little to compact the panic that's rising in his chest, ribcage three sizes too small as his lungs constrict. But he appreciates the distraction while it's there, even as he pours his focus into sifting his pain and panic through his nose - cracking the lumps that make his head spin and making it manageable.

"Are you okay, bubba?" 

And Ricky shakes his head.

It's quick, and it's slight - but everyone sees it.

"M'scared," he admits, and can feel the burning looks of pity that Nini and her moms are doing a horrible job of hiding, "never had anaesthesia before. What if I wake up while getting them out?-" his eyes flicker open, neck turning so his gaze meets Nini's, "-what if I rip my stitches? I can't- I'm _scared_."

It's an irrational fear, but he's so goddamn terrified.

However his girlfriend is there, all gentle fingers and soft hair and calm voice that falls like a song from her throat. Her fingers continue to skim through his hair - and he sighs, not pulling his eyes away.

"I'll be with you," Nini reassures, "I'm not going to let _anything_ bad happen to you, do you understand Richard Bowen? We're here to look after you, to deal with the blood and the chaos - and you know my mom's a nurse so she'll probably double check everything with the staff before you get them out."

Dana turns in the front passenger seat, a smile rising in her cheeks.

"She's right, you know. Plus these people know what they're doing. Between all of the employees and us three," Dana gestures to herself her wife and her daughter in one fell swoop as she maintains eye contact with the boy stationed behind her, "you couldn't be in safer hands if you tried."

Ricky closes his eyes tightly, head shifting against his headrest as he nods.

"It's just- I wish my dad was here? You know? Because he'd joke and laugh and ruffle my hair but he'd hold my hand-" his voice builds thick with the tears that threaten to fall, and he sharply inhales through his nose, "-and I always thought he'd be here for this to c-calm me down, and tell me to get my act together while brushes my hair ba-back and stays with me- god- I'm sorry."

And no sooner has he started crying, irrepressible tears racing down his too-pale cheeks - he's frantically trying to wipe away the tears with the sleeves of his hoodie. 

Mindful of his aching jaw, Nini tugs his knuckles from his face; using the soft beige sleeves of her cardigan to wipe away his sorrows as she soothes him under her breath.

He loves her. He really loves her. And after this he feels more than happy screeching it from the rooftops, if she'll still have him after it.

"We're your people today, kid," Carol says, looking him in the eye using the rearview mirror, "we've got hands for you to hold, we can push you to get your act together - and don't _ever_ tell this to your dad, but I'm _far_ funnier than he is…"

And she's trying. He appreciates that she is, but he wants his _dad_. 

"... you'll be okay Ricky. We've got you."

And the rumbling of the engine stops.

Ricky feels like he's about to die. 

Granted, maybe he does want the world to swallow him up, but bleak nothingness satisfies him more complete agony, so he'd take melting between the cracks of the concrete that pave the entrance to the dentist's, over having his teeth yanked from his gums.

On autopilot he opens his door, stepping out after unbuckling his belt and shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Ricky's eyes remain trained on the ground as the floor changes, a thin strip of metal marking the split between concrete and linoleum.

Dana is the first to speak so he doesn't have to, and all Ricky can hear is the faint jingle of Carol's key rings, and he can feel a grounding hand on his back that he doesn't have the heart to shrug off. It's Nini. He knows it is. Her hands are small and slender and he just knows.

"We're here in regards to Richard Bowen," Dana explains, taking the clipboard that's placed on the counter. And Ricky watches as she begins to fill out his personal information. 

Treating him in several instances of broken bones, and being his girlfriend's (and best friends) mom - not to mention a nurse - Mike and Lynne trusted her with their son's medical details incase he got injured while they were out of town. Ricky has never been more thankful for anything in his life as Carol hooks her finger under his chin, lifting his head up to look into her eyes.

"D'you wanna sit down," she asks, and he nods carefully and lets Carol and Nini pull him over to the waiting area. From his spot near the reception desk, he can hear the conversation between Dana and the man whose typing away at the computer.

"He's a bit nervous," she shrugs as the man asks her if anything's wrong, "his dad's working today and I think it might've been easier for him if he was here." 

The receptionist nods, "it's not uncommon for patients to be nervous. Last week a nineteen year old boy was holed up in the bathroom for an hour because nerves hit him so bad he wouldn't stop throwing up. But if it helps at all, he'll be taken for an x-ray first. It might help him segway into the rest of it."

And Ricky looks up at this, and smiles at the man who gives him a half salute from behind the desk - and Dana mouths a quiet 'thank you' as she hands back the clipboard.

_An X-ray is nothing compared to what it's like getting your gums cut open and your teeth removed from your skull, but okay Chip Skylark, enlighten me._

Sitting beside Ricky and sandwiching him between her and Nini, Dana places a hand on his knee - not batting a single eyelash as he rests his head on her shoulder and takes a shaking breath.

"Step one, an x-ray. Think you're up for it hun?" 

Ricky nibbles at his bottom lip, licking away the crimson that bubbles and twinges his tongue with copper. The junior turns his gaze to look into Nini's eyes, and as he does she takes his hand and tightens her grip. 

_No. No, not at all. But I've already cried in front of Nini once today, and I'd rather have my teeth yanked from my jaw than embarrass myself again._

"Yeah. Yeah- I think I can do that."


	2. Chapter 2

Nini creeps around the doorframe, phone poised and already recording the very clinical looking room; her boyfriend's giggles bouncing off the walls and into her and her mom's ears. Ricky's soft eyes are crinkled at the edges, flushed cheeks stuffed with blood soaked gauze that slightly muffle his laughter. 

Ricky looks comfortable on the dentist's chair, the blanket covering his reclined body shifting as he turns to catch her gaze.

And his eyes light up, glinting brighter than she's ever seen - and in the midst of childlike wonder he reaches out his hands and flexes and curls his fists.

Her boyfriend is making grabby hands, and he's so goddamn _adorable_.

"Yo Nini!" he calls, the edges of his lips rising, "i's Nini! My Nini. My girlfr'end. Tha's my _wond'rful_ girlfr'end! She's so pr'tty. You're s'pr'tty oh my god," his head smacks back down on the chair as he lazily turns it to the side, cheeks tinted red as he continues, "and talented- you're so- you're so sp'cial, baby. You're my fav'rite."

The nurse working at the side bench turns around and smiles at Nini, and as she's peeling off her latex gloves and packing up gauze and Ricky's medication, Nini flushes a deep pink behind her phone camera while her boyfriend sings her praises. This full video is for her and Ricky's dad, filmed for her gallery and not her Instagram. But she might put the first twenty seconds up on her account anyway.

Who knows.

"You're my favourite too, Ricky," she speaks earnestly, and the boy smiles with bloody gums before his face slowly begins to fall - eyes trailing to his chest.

Then panic kicks in.

"I can- my lungs. I can feel them moving," he whines, breath picking up as tears prick his eyes. His fists turn as white as the bedsheet he grips for comfort, chest heaving as Carol sits down in a visitors chair beside him and brushes his curls back from his face with the palm of her hand.

It's slightly sweaty, and her wedding band is cold against his forehead - but she massages his furrowed brow as the bloody gauze between his gums peek out from his lips.

"It's called breathing, sweetheart," the blonde soothes him, but tears roll down his cheeks anyway as he lets out a harsh sob. 

"I don' I don't like it," he cries as Dana wipes away his tears, and Nini doesn't know whether to be amused or concerned from her place behind her phone.

After a short moment of confusion and sobbing, he stops. Abruptly. Almost as if he's snapping out of a trance, he's grinning again: head lolling side to side, eyes skimming over Carol and Dana and resting back on Nini.

"S'funny. It feels weird," he announces when he's managed to collect himself. While Ricky is mumbling pure nonsense for only her moms to hear, she opens the drama group chat and types out a quick message.

Nini: My house in about an hour and a half. Bring questions to ask a very high Richard Bowen, and maybe some ice cream or comfort supplies because my boy is crying.

Kourtney: On it girl! 

Carlos: Oh my god loopy Ricky sounds adorable I'm so in.

EJ: An hour and a half. That's almost too long to wait :(

Ashlyn: EJ, leave the poor kid alone. Also EJ and I will be there and he'll be on his best behaviour.

Big Red: A chance to ask my best friend personal burning questions while he's too high to lie to me? Or playing Fortnite with eleven year old kids? Hm. Whatever will I do…

Before she can type out a reply, a hand rests on her wrist, catching Nini's attention and causing her to lift her gaze and meet Ricky's eyes. He blinks at her as if seeing her for the first time, pausing to take her in - before he speaks.

"Wha'm'I doin' here?"

"You had your wisdom teeth removed, Ricky," she laughs, switching to her camera app and pressing record again. He huffs, smacking his lips and squinting his eyes as he stares down the lens.

Before anyone can stop him he's plucking the gauze from his mouth, turning his nose up at the sight of it before launching it to the ground. Miraculously it manages to land with a semi-wet 'smack', which makes Nini full-body cringe. 

"An' ya did'n stop 'em!" her boyfriend's speaks as if mortally wounded by the lack of protection she provided, "a'got no wis'dum now! None! I got- I- m'dumb. M'dumb, Nini."

Dana giggles so hard she snorts, and Carol has to cover her mouth with one hand while she rests the palm of her left on Ricky's hairline. It helps to keep the boy pinned as the nurse rolls her eyes and places another folded sheet of gauze between his gums and tells him to softly bite down.

"Will'ya still love me wh'n m'dumb?" Ricky pouts, doe eyes staring deep into his girlfriend's soul as she leans down and presses a soft kiss to his forehead. Carol moves her hand away so her daughter can use her free hand to rake her fingers through Ricky's curls, and the boy sighs as his eyes droop closed.

"Of course I will, Ricky," she speaks, voice dipped in sugar and full of love, "always."

His eyes peel open at her reassurance, and he reaches up to slowly grasp her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"A'dkiss you 'f I was all'wed. The'said m'not supp'sed to until m'healed," he rolls his eyes, at least he's sure he does. But the way Nini laughs down at him and presses an amused kiss to his knuckles makes him think different.

"Exactly," the nurse cuts in, slipping a small bottle of antiseptic mouthwash into the paper medicine bag and folding the top shut, "no kissing until those wounds recover, mister. A few days at least." 

"How'm' I suppos'd to wait a few days? Sh's too pr'tty not'ta kiss!"

Nini's grinning so hard her cheeks begin to ache.

"You'll manage when you find out how sore it is if you break the rules, Mr Bowen," the woman sasses, poking him softly in the shoulder. He makes an act of sticking his tongue out, but it feels heavy in his mouth and he's not sure he's doing it right; but he does manage to swat her hand away as he blindly swings his own. 

"Kissing, exercise, and any strenuous activity isn't allowed for a few days," she continues as if Ricky hadn't thrown her off, "and no rinsing, spitting, or drinking any hot drinks for the next twenty four hours. It could dislodge the blood clots and they help with the healing process - but I'll trust Carol and Dana to take care of that. Soft or liquid foods for a few days, and when you're back onto solids try and chew with the front of your mouth for a week or two until the wounds have fully recovered."

The nurse takes a moment to lift a leaflet from the side cabinet and pass it to Carol. 

"That has all of the information I've just mentioned, plus other ways to help relieve the pain he can feel over the next short while," she speaks over Ricky's head at this point, the boy too busy giggling at his fingers to register any of the conversation, "it's normal if there's any visible bruising, and inflammation can be soothed with a damp cloth pressed to his face if you have one on hand."

Carol thumbs through the leaflet, peeling it apart and scanning the information and passing it and the paper medicine bag to Dana. 

"I am's'sore. I am sore! An'an mmmm'I'feel great! S'great!"

"Ricky, hunny, you need to be quiet. Inside voice," Dana soothes as the man she spoke to at reception pushes a wheelchair into the room.

"Why? A'feel great! People need'ta know!"

"Because there are kids in the waiting room," Nini chuckles scratching Ricky's scalp, camera trained on his face, "and some of them are nervous or sleeping."

Ricky gasps.

"Oh'ma'god! Kiddos! Can I- I love kids s'much. Can I go play? They're so… they're so squishy," his voice hightens, "I will call him squishy, and he shall be mine, and he will be my squishy!"

"While that's a very nice sentiment, _Dory_ , I don't think scaring little kids when you're high on sedation anaesthetic is a good idea."

Realisation seems to hit her boyfriend at this point, and he looks like a kid on Christmas as he wiggles lazily in his chair.

"Babe- Nini, ninoo, Nina, bubba? Se'if we like- hav'a kid- no' for a while, Carol and Dana I prom'se," Ricky assures, pointing at Nini's moms and making sure they know he means business "can we name 'em Big Time Rush? Because like- they're r'lly good."

And Carol has to physically turn her chair in the opposite direction as she cries tears of unrestrained joy into her palms.

"Oh yeah? Can you tell your friends who your favourite is from Big Time Rush?" Nini asks, accepting that this is going on the internet forever. 

"Kendall," he hums, "and Carlos. Those two. Those two are nice."

But then he shakes his head.

"But a'mean like, f'we have a boy. Big Time Rush. I't'd be cute."

"What if we have a girl?"

"Pro'lly Emily."

Nini bites her lip. She remembers laughing to Ricky one night months ago about names they'd call their kids. If their relationship lasted into adulthood and gave them the opportunity to have them, that is. 

Emily was one of them, and Ricky rolled his eyes as he laughed; because it was too generic. Too simple. Even if both of them knew his reaction was a joke, this threw Nini off guard.

"Why Emily?" Dana asks, helping to lift Ricky from his space on the recovery chair. Nini tracks him with her phone as he shakily steps forward and lets his body fall into the wheelchair.

"B'cause it's nice. S'ma sec'nd fav'rite name below Nina. Nina Nina Nina. Lov' Nina soooo much."

Nini rolls her eyes, zooming in on his face as he smacks his lips slowly, eyes half lidded as he waves lazily at the camera.

"S'just perfect. Yuh'no?"

~*~

It takes them a while to get Ricky bundled into the car, because while he's sweet and giddy - he's also an unco-operative little _shit_. His arms are flailing and he refuses to move any part of his body, so Carol lifts him under his arms and the receptionist hoists Ricky by the legs, and together they manage to buckle the teenager in and close the car door before he falls and gets jammed between it and the frame.

All while he giggles, blood dripping from his bottom lip as he babbles under his breath like a toddler.

It's kind of endearing Nini supposes, buckling her own seatbelt and hearing the muffled noise of her moms apologising to the staff that have followed them out. A moment later they're sliding into the front seats, but Carol doesn't make a move to start the car. Instead, she turns (along with Dana) to watch Nini and Ricky in the backseat.

Ricky's content, mumbling lowly under his breath as he rests his forehead against the window - and Nini has her phone camera trained on him once more.

As if she ever stopped.

"Are you doing okay, Ricky?" Dana asks, voice sweet. He nods, grinning as blood crusts on his lips, and he peeks his tongue out to swipe it away. 

"Yu-yuh-y-," the junior starts only to cut himself off with a large sneeze that seems to rattle his bones and frighten him stiff. Nini laughs as his eyes widen, and he looks as her as he opens his mouth and blood trickles heavily from his lip; mixed lightly with saliva. 

"Check his gauze," Carols tells Nini as she unpacks a few pieces from the bag the orthodontist had provided them with. Folding them into quarters she searches her handbag for her water bottle.

Meanwhile Nini is gently pulling the blood soaked gauze from her boyfriend's mouth, and much to her amusement he's trying to bite her.

"Nom nom," he slurs lazily as he bites down gently, molars tickling her fingers as one hand keeps her phone steady and the other sets the gauze by her lap. It sits at her thigh, blood side facing the roof - and she realises that she's not as disgusted by this as she'd thought she'd be.

"Yeah they've started bleeding again pretty heavily, mom," she's checks to make sure,"but the stitches haven't rip- ah! Ricky!" 

And she pulls her hand away to reveal a soft indent in her forefinger as he giggles uncontrollably. They're almost like little staccato hiccups as his shoulders shake with each beat.

"I hope I'm not like this if I have to get mine removed," Nini half-complains as her mom passes her the gauze she's dampened in water. Gently she places them in her boyfriend's mouth - telling him to bite down, and when he does his eyes widen.

"I can' rins' my mouf' out!" he protests, raising his hands to try and remove the gauze for the second time that day. Nini bats his hands away as he pouts into her camera lens.

"You're not. This helps soak up the blood a bit better, and it makes the gauze softer on your gums," Dana smiles, and Ricky looks to Nini and then Carol for confirmation - and when they nod he rests his hands on his knees.

And then Nini's too busy talking to her mom's about how Miss Jenn had promised something so outlandish for their spring musical, that she doesn't realise Ricky hasn't spoken in minutes.

And when he turns, he's staring at her. 

"Hey, are you alright?" Nini asks, ducking her head to look him in the eye. He blinks once, twice, before nodding.

"You look r'lly pretty," Ricky smiles, reaching out softly to tuck a strand of her hair back behind her ear, "so beaut'ful."

"Sorry to break up you two lovebugs, but I have an important - nay - life altering question for our patient in the backseat," Carol cuts in.

"Life alt'ring?"

"Life or death, kiddo. Life or death."

Shock hits him in the chest, and he makes a half gargling-gasping noise at the back of his throat. 

"L'fe or death?

"Yeah kid, you ready?"

"Mhm."

" _Ice cream_ or _milkshakes_?"


End file.
